Former Duke Basketball Star Christian Laettner

Coming to Brewton-Parker for Clinic

L-r: JJ Thatcher, BPC Men's Basketball assistant coach; Christian Laettner; John D. Jones, BPC Men's Basketball head coach.

MOUNT VERNON—Brewton-Parker College head men’s basketball coach John D. Jones will host a basketball clinic for community children on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Gillis Gymnasium on BPC’s Mount Vernon campus. 

The clinic will feature former Duke Basketball great Christian Laettner, who will work directly with clinic participants in skill instruction, developing one-o-one moves, and shooting.  He will also be available for autograph’s and photos after the event. 

The clinic is open to boys and girls ages 9-16.  There will be a small $20 charge per child to attend.  Admission will be limited to the first 50 children, so pre-registration is encouraged.  To register, please call Coach Jones at (912) 583-3178.

Laettner will spend some time earlier in the day with the BPC Barons Basketball team teaching technique, said Jones.

“Christian Laettner is an outstanding teacher of the game of basketball,” said Jones. “I met him at a recent clinic that we were both participating in, and was so impressed with his ability as a teacher and clinician that I invited him to come to our community.  This will be a wonderful time for young players to learn directly from one of the greatest players ever.”

Handy Andy of Vidalia is an official sponsor of this community outreach opportunity.

Christian Laettner's Biography

Christian Laettner played 13 seasons in the NBA. He starred for the 1991 and 1992 NCAA champion Duke University Blue Devils. He is generally considered one of the greatest college basketball players of all time.  He is perhaps most well known for making one of the most memorable shots in basketball history, a 17-foot turnaround jumper with 1 second left in OT to defeat Kentucky in 1992, and advance to the Final Four.

Laettner's #32 jersey was retired in 1992, making him the sixth of thirteen players so honored by Duke. He averaged 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game at Duke and is the all-time three-point shooting percentage leader at Duke with 48.5%.

Laettner is the only player in NCAA history to ever start in four consecutive Final Fours. He owns the record for most tournament games played, with 23, which may never be beaten (to do so, someone would have to play on a team that advances all the way to the National Championship Game in all four years).

Laettner was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves after Shaquille O'Neal (1st overall) and Alonzo Mourning (2nd overall) in the 1992 NBA Draft, all three would later play together on the 2004-05 Miami Heat. During his 13-year NBA career Laettner played for the Timberwolves, the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, the Dallas Mavericks, the Washington Wizards, and the Miami Heat. Though Laettner never became the superstar some expected, he was voted onto the All-Rookie First Team in 1992-93 and was an All-Star reserve in 1996-97.

He wrapped up his career in 2004-05 as a reserve with the Miami Heat and finished with career averages of 13.3 points per game, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He shot 47.8% from the floor and 82.1% from the free throw line.

Brewton-Parker College is the only accredited four-year Christian college in south Georgia. With its main campus located in Mount Vernon, the college also offers bachelor’s and associate’s degrees at its external site in Newnan.

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